You Who I Call Brother
by Lithium4
Summary: War can tair even the closest of freinds apart. Even brothers... Based off of the Prince of Egypt's song, "The Pleauges"


_On a warm day in summer, we would swim in a nearby pond or lake. On a cool fall day, he would help Iggy rake up the leaves, and I would jump in them, bringing him down with me. On a freezing winter day, we would work on trying to make the biggest snowman we could. On a breezy spring day, we would lay under the weeping willow tree all day._

* * *

"Hey Ludwig, check this out!" I yelled out to him as I stood on a tree branch, hanging over the pond we swam in. I don't think he heard me, since he didn't turn around to watch, but he would soon. Grabbing onto a vine hanging down, I began to walk back, and jumped off the branch. Right in the middle, I let go, and landed right next to Ludwig. I bet he jumped up because he was scared or something. When I got out of the water, I heard him yell out,

"Don't you dare scare me like that Alfred!" He splashed the cold water at me and I laughed and splashed back at him.

"Well it's better than just swimming around doing nothing."

"Well, I was looking for you **dummkopf!**" And with that, he swam off to the far edge of the pond. I looking into the clear water, and found a little fishy. Grabbing it like the hero I am, I began to swim after my German friend. When I was close enough, I quickly slipped the fish into his trunks, and watched the rest. He quickly felt the little silver scales against his butt, and jumped up a little. He began to squirm and tried to get the fish out, while I tried to hide myself giggling in the background. The fish finally got out, and Ludwig looked at me with his death glare.

"Why do you do this to me?" asked my friend.

"Because you need to have a little fun."

"How can I when you give me so much stress! You know my bruder…"

"Of course I do, I spend about a month at your place." I said while I floated on my back.

"He wants us to move to Germany… So he can be with his family again." I shot up and yelled out,

"What! That means that we won't see each other anymore!"

"I know! I've been trying to get bruder to stay here, but he's so fixed on moving! He's even found a new house for us."

"That sucks. Do you know when you're gonna leave?"

"At the end of the month…" He looked really down, so I splashed more water at him.

"Cheer up dude! You're not moving today, so let's make every day the best until you have to leave."

"Yhea!"

* * *

"Iggy, why do you have to leave?" I asked. Iggy was going away for a long time, and I have to stay with Iggy's sister. Iggy was standing in the door way of our house, and he smiled as he crouched down to my eye length.

"Because I want to protect you."

"I know when you're lying Iggy! Tell me why!" He sighed and his smile went away. His expression was really heavy, and dark.

"Alfred, how do I tell you this? You remember Ludwig, don't you?" I nodded and said,

"Of course. He's my best friend and my brother, remember, we drank from the same cup."

"Yes I remember. Well, people change, and Ludwig isn't the same person he was."

"What are you talking about Iggy?" He sighed once again, and looked me right in the eyes.

"Ludwig is what I'm talking about. He is the enemy of the allied nations Alfred." I was shocked, I couldn't say anything. Ludwig wouldn't be a bad guy. He was always the brainy side-kick to the hero. The one who would never turn on him.

"Iggy, your still lying." Tears started to swell up in my eyes, and Iggy wrapped me in his arms. "L-Ludwig wouldn't d-do that. Ev-Ever!" Hot, salty tears ran down my face, and I cried for the rest of the night. It was really sad to know that the hero cried himself to sleep.

* * *

"Name."

"Colonel Alfred F. Jones. 29th Infantry Division."

"Get on the plane." And with that, I was on my way to Europe. We landed in France, and I got to meet Francis, who was a friend of Iggy, or Sargent Arthur Kirkland, which is what I should be calling him now. He was a blond Frenchman, who was a colonel like me. He was cool, but a bit of a perv. A lot of the times I was with him, I forgot why I joined the military in the first place. To see Ludwig.

The Great War ended. Iggy was captured, and I never heard anything about him again. He was most likely killed. I didn't get to see Ludwig, not even once. Not even a glimpse. Not even at the meetings between America and Germany afterwards. I signed up to help the German people recover after all that's happened. Maybe I'll see Ludwig. Maybe I'll hear something about him being on America's side. Something to put me at ease. Nothing, again. The Second World War. I bet I'll see him this time, I'm higher up in the ranks now, so I have a better chance.

"Hey, you guys hear anything about a German solider that goes by the name 'Ludwig Beilschmidt'?"

"Yhea, he's the head of one of the camps. He's a ruthless killer from what I've heard."

"What? That doesn't sound like Ludwig."

"How would you know?"

"I knew him. I used to slip fish into his swim trunks and everything. He was the wimpiest guy I've ever known."

"Well, he's not that guy anymore."

* * *

I can't believe I got caught. Well, now I have a chance to see Ludwig. It seems they've heard of me, wither it was my amazing naval skills or Ludwig getting all nostalgic. Most likely the last one. Either way, I'm going to see Ludwig, finally. Going through the doors into the head office, I was greeted with the sound of Italian opera playing. A tall, burly man was looking out the window, staring at the soldiers and their prey. He was in his neat and tidy SS uniform, and didn't even turn to see me.

"Sit down American." I did as I was told, and sat down on the neat leather chair. He turned around, and I could see the same light, crystal blue eyes Ludwig had. The one's that always seemed so scared of everything except when I'm with him. They were in shock, probably because I was with him.

"A-Alfred?" I nodded, and he came over to me, wrapping his arms around me tightly. He's gotten stronger, and his bear hug is a lot better. "Alfred! I can't believe it!" He let me go, and I got to see he was a general. A general!

"Look at you. General."

"Well look at you, Capitan of a ship." I hugged my best friend, and said,

"It's so good to see you." Then some of his lower ranks interrupted us. I couldn't understand a word they said, until Ludwig told them to speak English for me.

"Excuse me, General Sir. I hate to inform you that this man has been taken in as a prisoner of war."

"We hate to remind you sir."

"And you know what we do with prisoners of war…"

"**Silence!** I am your commanding officer, and you will do what I command. This man is an honored guest of the nation of Deutschland. For he is my closest friend, and my brother."

"Ludwig, I know you are my brother, but I can't let you treat these people like this."

"I don't see why not."

"These are people! Living breathing people Ludwig!"

"Yes, I know. But they are people who do not deserve life."

"And why don't they?"

"They are the ones to blame for everything bad happening. Deutschland is in ruin because of them."

"What are you talking about Luddy?"

"You know what I mean."

"Luddy, if anyone is to blame, blame France, not your people."

"You're an idiot, you always have." He let out a sigh, and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Why can't we just go back to being friends again?" I sighed like him, and I looked him straight in the eyes.

"I don't know, but I would give anything to make everything the way it was again."

"Then stay with me, then we can be allies, not enemies."

"I can't Ludwig, unless you stop all-"

"**Nein!** I will not stop!" His eyes where different. They were stronger, and more angry than I've ever seen them. "We may be friends, but if you get in my way, I will handle you personally." And with that, he called in his lower men. He said something in German, which I guess meant to take me away.

* * *

The allies won the war. I never had to fight Ludwig face-to-face, I really only had to fight the Japanese army the most. I bet Ludwig shot down any and every American. I guess that's what he would do, since he didn't see any of me, at least of what I know of. It's time for the meetings of the nations. I think it should be called the world meeting, it's a lot easier to say, at least I think so. Somehow I became the voice of the people in America. I work for the American people. I've been hearing whispers that Ludwig became one too, but I want to see for myself. Walking through the doors, I see so many new faces. People from France, Vietnam, even Egypt. Then I see him. Ludwig was talking to a man with short, chopped black hair. I've seen him before. I put a bullet through his shoulder, just missing his heart. His sword got me in the leg as he was falling to the ground. Never caught his name though. The man caught my stair, and Ludwig turned to see me. His eyes were pouring with hate and wrath. He wasn't Luddy anymore. He was Ludwig Beilschmidt, the one who wants to kill me for getting in his way. What happened to my best friend? My brother…


End file.
